Guide to Savannah Area Farmers Markets, Part 1: Forsyth Farmers Market

If you ask anyone in Savannah about the Forsyth Farmers Market, they'll probably be happy to tell you about the farmers market.  This market is certainly well-loved in the community and is the best known and most widely attended farmers market in the greater Savannah area.  It's popular for good reasons.  The Forsyth Farmers Market ensures that the products it sells area organic and the market does not permit resale.  It also takes place in iconic Forsyth Park, which is both beautiful and historically significant.  It's also a central location- easily accessible for urban pedestrians.  For these reasons, the Forsyth Farmers Market is a natural first in an upcoming installation of posts about this region's markets.

One of my favorite things about farmers markets is how they cultivate healthy communities.  This one is certainly no exception.  In fact, I'd say it goes above and beyond in multiple ways.  In the United States, it is commonly accepted that impoverished communities suffer diminished health as a result of dietary factors.  Even NBC News acknowledges this fact in an article entitled "Living in poor neighborhood can hurt health."  There's the link if ya don't believe me.  There are certainly many causes for poor health in a community, but access to fresh and healthful foods is crucial for maintaining a healthy body.  Impoverished neighborhoods don't often provide access to these types of food, especially for those that walk or ride public transit.

The Forsyth Market accommodates these under-served individuals in several significant ways.  Anyone can purchase directly from the farm stands with cash, but the market also provides a service for those paying with a card.  If you use a regular debit or check card, you get tokens equivalent to the dollar amount that you choose to spend.  If you pay with EBT (essentially the new face of food stamps and other government benefits), you get twice the token value of the dollar amount you spend.  I'm proud to support a market that makes quality food affordable for anyone, despite the caveat of serving luxury organic products.  How's that for cultivating healthy change??

Speaking of cultivation, this market ensures that buyers (anyone who visits the market with money to spend) connect directly with growers.  The market forbids resale.  Resale occurs when a distributor purchases goods from a grower or even another middleman and then sells them to the public.  While this is not an inherently bad method of doing business, it creates a separation between the grower and the customer.  Banning resale makes farmers directly accountable to their customers and keeps the produce local.

Whether you live in the town or visit, the Savannah experience is incomplete without visiting the Forsyth Farmers Market.  Check it out this summer on Saturdays from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm.  You'll love the fresh flavor of local veggies, meat, honey, and more and you'll feel good about supporting the people who grow them.  Plus, look how gorgeous these fresh veggies are!

Here's the link if you want some information about the market directly from the source.
http://forsythfarmersmarket.com/